Add tomatoes, chicken stock, and pasta, cover and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring every few of minutes so pasta doesn't stick.

Remove from heat, stir in herbs and serve.

Note: Peel tomatoes by blanching in boiling water for 30 seconds first. The peels slip off easily.

Grilled Swordfish with Olive Shallot Relish

Total time: 25 minutesYou can use any fish suitable for grilling - tuna, swordfish, halibut, snapper. They would all pair well with the olive sauce. If you get sushi-grade tuna or swordfish you will want them seared but rare to medium-rare in the center. Any leftover Olive Sauce and be used with other grilled meats or simply eaten with savory biscuits.

Ingredients:

2 swordfish or other fish steaks or filets, 6oz each (180gr each)

1 tbs olive oil

2 tsp Herbes de Provence

Warm Olive Relish:

2 medium shallots

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp Herbes de Provence

1 tsp fennel seeds

3 tbs chopped Kalamata or dry Greek olives

3 tbs chopped green olives

1 tbs olive oil

1 tbs lemon juice

4 tbs white wine

Instructions:

Brush fish lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with herbs.

Put fish in a grill basket or cook on a grill pan, particularly if the fish is thinner filets.

Cook on barbecue grill for 2 - 6 minutes per side, depending on thickness and grade of fish. Walleye or snapper will become opaque when done. Good tuna or swordfish you just want to brown the outside quickly.

When done, put on a small platter, spoon some Olive Relish on and serve, remaining sauce on the side.

Heat oil in small nonstick skillet. Add shallots, garlic and sauté until tender, about 5 minutes.

Add fennel seeds, herbs and sauté 1 minute longer.

Add olives, lemon and wine.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 1 minute.

Remove from heat, put into a small serving bowl.

Cover to keep warm until ready to use.

Note: Can also be cooked under broiler or sautéed in nonstick pan for roughly the same amount of time. Note 2: I threw a few wood chips on the grill for a slightly smoky flavor - thus the darker surface color.

Simple Couscous

Total time: 15 minutesThis is couscous at it's simplest: just a bit of herbs and oil, the perfect dish to accompany a sauced fish or meat...

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (3oz, 90gr) couscous

3/4 cup (6oz, 180ml) chicken broth

2 tbs snipped chives

1 tbs snipped basil

2 tsp good olive oil

Instructions:

Heat chicken broth to boiling.

Put couscous in a medium bowl.

When broth is boiling pour over couscous, cover and let stand for 10 minutes... Do not stir it.

Add herbs and oil to couscous, fluff gently with a fork to combine and serve.

Lentils with Chickpeas

Total time: 30 minutes I use the tiny, green lentils de Puy, but the larger brown or tan lentils will work as well. This is a simple method and would work equally well with any legume - highlighting the flavor of the vegetable.